The Living Classroom Fund
The Living Classroom (LC) program has been extended through 2029. This is a Ministry of Long-Term Care-funded program that directly supports education partners and long-term care homes as they collaborate to create and maintain a Living Classroom learning model.
The LC program for Personal Support Worker (PSW) students has been extended. We look forward to another three years of supporting our current partnerships and continuing to grow the program across Ontario.
A new LC program for Practical Nursing (PN) students is a welcome expansion. This further investment from the Government of Ontario is a nod to the LC model’s ability to develop optimally skilled and dedicated healthcare professionals for long-term care.
We look forward to delivering similar amazing results to nursing as we have seen in personal support work, through our innovative Living Classroom model and the dedication of our education and long-term care partners.
Why choose a Living Classroom model for PSW and PN learning?
By integrating student education “early and often” within the LTC home, Living Classrooms improve retention and recruitment, team members learn new clinical practices and update their caregiving skills, and enhance resident care. This immersive learning model creates confidence and lasting bonds beyond conventional classroom learning outcomes.
Applications for the PSW program will be accepted from the following partnering organizations in Ontario:
- Long-term care (LTC) homes, or their corporate offices
- Public colleges, career colleges, school boards, Indigenous Institutes, and the Indigenous Education Authority
Applications for the PN program will be accepted from the following organizations in Ontario:
- Public colleges, or Indigenous Institutes, as lead applicant
- Long-term care (LTC) homes, or their corporate offices, as partners
Students: Please note that this program is not available for direct access. It is a program that funds the educational institutions and long-term care homes that host the PSW or PN programs. If you are a student looking for information on where to find a Living Classroom program to attend, you can visit our student information and map pages, which list educators who offer Living Classroom learning.
Wave 5 Funding: Winter, Spring, and Fall 2027 Cohorts
Practical Nursing (PN) Living Classrooms
Funding Timetable: Living Classroom Applicants for the Practical Nursing (PN) Program
| Date and Time | Event / Deadline | Details |
|---|---|---|
| June 25, 2026 @11:00 a.m. ET | Information webinar This webinar has now taken place but you can view a video recording on YouTube here. | Online event for Practical Nursing educators and LTC homes, to hear more about how the program works and how to apply. |
| August 10, 2026 @10:00 a.m. ET | Application window opens for new or existing partnerships for PN Program funding | Submissions open for Winter, Spring, or Fall 2027 PN cohorts. |
| September 21, 2026 @4:30 p.m. ET | Close of applications for Winter 2027 funding | Hard deadline for programs planning a Winter 2027 start. |
| September 29, 2026 @12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. ET | Information webinar Simply complete your registration at this link. | This live webinar will explain the PN and PSW funding application process. Open to education or long-term care organizations with an interest in new or continued Living Classroom funding. |
| November 2, 2026 @ 4:30 p.m. ET | Close of applications for Spring 2027 funding | Hard deadline for programs planning a Spring 2027 start. |
| March 29, 2027 @4:30 p.m. ET | Close of applications for Fall 2027 funding | Hard deadline for programs planning a Fall 2027 start. |
| November 3, 2026 | Status notification for Winter 2027 funding | All Living Classroom applicants for Winter 2027 cohort funding will be notified of their application status. |
| December 7, 2026 | Status notification for Spring 2027 Funding | All Living Classroom applicants for Spring 2027 cohort funding will be notified of their application status. |
| May 11, 2027 | Status notification for Fall 2027 Funding | All Living Classroom applicants for Fall 2027 cohort funding will be notified of their application status. |
Ready to Evolve Your Practical Nursing Curriculum?
Position your institution at the forefront of innovative Practical Nursing education. Take the first step toward securing MLTC funding for your own Living Classroom program:
Prepare:
If you did not see our info webinar for potential applicants for Practical Nursing Living Classroom programs live on June 25th, it is not too late! You can view the full video recording here, or see the slide deck only, here.
Build your partnership. Speak with our team if you need help finding a long-term care partner.
You can also get a head start by looking at some helpful preparatory resource tools, such as: Building Your Living Classroom Team, Readiness Checklist for Education Partners, Readiness Checklist for LTC Partners, and the Memorandum of Understanding.
Review the application documents:
Access our latest Practical Nursing LC Application Guide, fillable Application Form and Integration Activity Planner for reference.
Get Direct Support: livingclassroom@the-ria.ca
Personal Support Worker (PSW) Living Classrooms
Funding Timetable: Living Classroom Applicants for the Personal Support Worker (PSW) Program
| Date and Time | Event / Deadline | Details |
|---|---|---|
| September 21, 2026 @10:00 a.m. ET | Application Window Opens for New or Existing Partnerships for PSW Program Funding | Submissions open for Winter, Spring, or Fall 2027 PSW cohorts. |
| September 29, 2026 @12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. ET | Information Webinar Simply complete your registration at this link. | This live webinar will explain the PSW and PN funding application process. Open to education or long-term care organizations with an interest in new or continued Living Classroom funding. |
| November 2, 2026 @ 4:30 p.m. ET | Close of applications for Winter or Spring 2027 PSW funding | Hard deadline for programs planning a Winter or Spring 2027 start. |
| March 29, 2027 @ 4:30 p.m. ET | Close of applications for Fall 2027 PSW funding | Hard deadline for programs planning a Fall 2027 start. |
| December 7, 2026 | Status notification for Winter or Spring 2027 funding | All Living Classroom applicants for Winter or Spring 2027 cohort funding will be notified of their application status. |
| May 11, 2027 | Status notification for Fall 2027 funding | All Living Classroom applicants for Fall 2027 cohort funding will be notified of their application status. |
Live Links to all required application resources are below
Important Application Resources – live links
The following fillable forms must be completed and submitted by the application deadline:
Practical Nursing (PN) Application Forms and Guide: Wave 5 applications
- | Application Form that PN program applicants must complete and submit.
- | Integration Activity Plan Form that PN program applicants must complete and submit.
- | The Living Classroom Application Guide for PN Programs.
Personal Support Worker (PSW) Application Forms and Guide: Wave 5 applications
- | Application Form that PSW program applicants must complete and submit.
- | Integration Activity Plan Form that PSW program applicants must complete and submit.
- | The Living Classroom Application Guide for PSW Programs.
The following accompanying resources will assist you in your application for either program:
- | Presentation slides from our December 16 information webinar – best for PSW partnerships.
- | Presentation slides from our June 25 information webinar – best for Practical Nursing partnerships.
- | Q&A document from the June 25 information webinar – good for either PSW or PN partnerships.
Funding Opportunities
To date, there have been four waves of Living Classroom funding. Eligible applicants may apply more than once. We encourage current program participants to apply for the next wave of funding, when announced, and look forward to also welcoming new participants to the program.
Confidentiality Notice
Information collected through the Living Classroom Fund application form will be used for the purposes of assessing the merits of your funding request. As part of the assessment process, the information may be shared with review committee members, external consultants, team members at the RIA or CESBA, and/or Government of Ontario officials.
It may also be used and/or disclosed for policy analysis, research, and/or evaluation purposes. In order to conduct these activities, various sources of information under the custody and control of the RIA and/or CESBA may be linked.
If the application contains personal information, it will be administered in accordance with the provisions governing the protection of personal information set out in the Privacy Act.
Questions?
For more information about the Living Classroom Fund or to request support, please visit https://livingclassroom.ca/ or email livingclassroom@the-ria.ca.
The Living Classroom program is funded by the Government of Ontario and led by the Schlegel-UW Research Institute for Aging (RIA), in partnership with the Ontario Association of Adult and Continuing Education School Board Administrators (CESBA).